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Thursday, March 28, 2013

Harpers Ferry to Radford, VA

The trail from Harpers Ferry, West Virginia to Radford,
Virginia gave us loads of new experiences and challenges.

We visited The Appalachian Trail Conference in Harpers
Ferry. Staff took our photo for their through hiker book. We bought maps and
books and got to know the staff a little.

I stopped at several trail shelters along the way. Each
shelter has its own character. The one below had to be the nicest one that I
have passed. It even had its own solar shower

The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club has several cabins that
it rents to hikers. I walked down to this one thinking that no one was there.
As I was looking around the door started creaking and a man stepped out. He was
half of a couple that were members of the club and were spending a few days in
the cabin. They were gracious enough to show me around.

While on the porch looking around, I found a Monster Maul a
tool like the one that I used years ago to split firewood. The cabin was
dedicated to a member who has passed on but must have been well liked.

We also visited our first hiker hostel on the trail. It was
an awesome place that was hosted by a couple that had hiked the Appalachian
Trail in 2011. It was owned by the Appalachian Trail Conference and managed by
the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club,

I hiked one day in
Shenandoah National Park before Winter Storm Vector came through and dumped
several inches of snow in the area. The National Park service shut down Skyline
Drive due to ice and snow thus making it impossible to reach trailheads by car.
Sean Sumner, who is a Peace Corps friend of ours who lived in a nearby town in
Panama when we were volunteers, invited us to spend a few days at his home in
Radford, Virginia. We had a great time visiting Sean and seeing this part of Virginia.
We should be heading back to Shenandoah National Park tomorrow to continue
hiking.